Friday, June 21, 2013

Mobile handset makers ready to meet new radiation norms by Sept


Mobile handset makers ready to meet new radiation norms by Sept

S. RONENDRA SINGH





But grey market phones still a cause for worry
Indian mobile handset manufacturers are ready to comply with the new radiation norms by September.
The Government has set September deadline for implementing the new guidelines under which handsets should not have Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) of more than 1.6 watt/kg taken over a volume containing as mass of 1 gm of human tissue. This is the same levels allowed in the US.
India till now followed the European standards wherein handset makers are allowed to have SAR levels of 2 watt/kg on a 10 gm human tissue.
The Government had extended the earlier deadline by a year after the phone makers sought more time. Speaking to Business Line, Pankaj Mohindroo, President, Indian Cellular Association, the industry representing mobile phone makers, said, “All new handsets that are coming in the market are complying with the new norms and old handsets are being phased out.”
He, however, said the Government should put in a system to check unbranded Chinese phones that may be shipped into the country without meeting the radiation norms. In India, there about 10 global brands, 15-20 Indian brands and more than 4,000 importers who trade in unbranded Chinese phones.

SELF-DECLARATION

Hemant Joshi, partner at Deloitte Haskins & Sells, said monitoring unbranded handsets could be a huge challenge. “The Government has to make some regulations for the grey market also. At least in branded phones, some company can be made accountable for anything wrong, but who will be accountable for the unbranded handsets,” he said. Under the new guidelines, which will kick in from September, phone makers have to provide a self-declaration certificate accredited by International Laboratory Accreditation Co-operation or Telecom Engineering Centre India, that their devices meet the prescribed SAR value.
Handset makers such as Samsung, Nokia, Micromax and Zen Mobiles said the companies’ new handsets comply by the norms.
“We are already complying with the norms. In fact, Zen Mobiles is already disclosing the SAR value on its retail pack,” Deepesh Gupta, Managing Director, Zen Mobiles, said.
(This article was published on June 20, 2013)

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